Fresh concerns over drinking water safety have gripped Ludhiana, following a series of tragic deaths linked to contaminated water in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The spotlight now reveals critical gaps in the industrial hub's own water safety infrastructure, raising alarms for its residents.
City Lab Shutdown Leaves Testing in Limbo
The city currently operates without a functioning in-house water testing laboratory. The Municipal Corporation's own lab has been closed after it failed to renew the contract for a lab assistant and did not purchase the necessary chemical reagents. This facility was previously limited, performing only two basic tests. Its closure forces Ludhiana to depend entirely on external laboratories to verify the safety of its drinking water, creating significant bottlenecks.
Ludhiana's water supply is managed through a decentralized network of 16 sub-zones. For now, the city relies on the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) lab for testing. While testing volumes triple during the monsoon season to prevent disease outbreaks, the absence of a dedicated city facility severely strains the system.
Key statistics highlight the scale of the challenge: Approximately 10,000 water samples were tested last year. Officials recorded a 5% contamination rate in 2025, which they claim was subsequently addressed. The seasonal pressure is immense, with testing frequency increasing by 300% during the rainy months when groundwater infiltration is most common.
The Alarming Chlorination Gap
The primary water source for Ludhiana residents is groundwater drawn from more than 1,300 tube wells. However, a shocking 369 of these wells are currently delivering water without any chlorination. This is because they lack the essential dosing equipment needed to kill harmful bacteria.
"We are going to enhance the chlorination of existing tube wells to kill bacteria," said Kamal, the nodal officer of the Operation and Maintenance cell. He assured that "Dozers will be installed at the remaining tube wells shortly; the project report for this implementation is already finalized."
Internal Calls for a "Smart Lab" Overhaul
Within the Municipal Corporation, voices are calling for a radical upgrade to the testing protocol. An official, speaking anonymously, stressed the urgent need for a government-certified "Smart Lab" capable of comprehensive chemical and biological analysis.
"The MC needs a facility where all types of contaminants can be tested in-house to ensure results are beyond question," the official stated. The proposal suggests that if a dedicated lab isn't feasible, the corporation should at least establish a dedicated MC wing at the PAU lab to handle larger volumes of samples daily.
While acknowledging the systemic failures, officials are also placing some responsibility on the public. Nodal officer Kamal pointed out that as the city works on fixes, residents must proactively inspect their household water connections. This is to ensure that aging private pipes are not allowing sewage or groundwater to seep into the domestic supply, compounding the risk.
